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Olds Special Mystique



 
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easyleopard
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Joined: 07 May 2021
Posts: 2
Location: New York

PostPosted: Fri May 13, 2022 5:43 am    Post subject: Olds Special Mystique Reply with quote

I came across two Olds Special trumpets with higher than usual price tags. One has the serial number 61245 and inscriptions “OLDS SPECIAL F. E. OLDS & SON LOS ANGELES CALIF” and the other is a Tri-Colored Olds Special trumpet with the serial number 243976 and inscriptions “OLDS SPECIAL F. E. OLDS & SON FULLERTON CALIF.” Is it merely cosmetics that sets these models apart in prices from their common brethren or better performance is involved?
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X200
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Joined: 28 Mar 2022
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PostPosted: Fri May 13, 2022 6:31 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

http://rouses.net/trumpet/olds.htm

is a great clearinghouse for information about Olds.

Brass instrument price tags are often not an indicator of fair value.
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jrpbrass
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Joined: 08 Apr 2016
Posts: 109
Location: North Ft Myers, Florida

PostPosted: Fri May 13, 2022 8:37 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

It pays to do some research before buying any instrument online. The prices people are asking are often two to ten times what they will ever get; and some of the stuff sits on there for years with no change. Even for professional-level trumpets, there are limits to what you should pay for something that's untested and coming from a seller that usually knows nothing. I take a lot of chances buying vintage horns, and sometimes end up with junk - other times with treasure!
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A.N.A.Mendez
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Joined: 27 Jul 2005
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PostPosted: Fri May 13, 2022 8:48 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Specials are special. They are one model that Olds made from the early days through to the end. Many changes and variations, very era specific. The most sought after are the early ones with both C# and A# adjusters and the next iteration with a no receiver flared lead pipe. The two and three toned models from the 50s & 60s are fun with distinct tone, and the all brass era (1940s) again have a distinct sound.In the late 60s and 70s they did them in nickel and silver.
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Christian K. Peters
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Joined: 12 Nov 2001
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Location: Eugene, Oregon

PostPosted: Fri May 13, 2022 9:12 am    Post subject: Olds Special Mystique Reply with quote

Hello all,
I have never seen a Special trumpet in the wild with trigger/saddle/adjusters. Though I have modified mine with a first slide ring. The early ones had small, triangular, pasta like braces between the tubing. The late 40's had normal, flange style, modern bracing with the tapered, receiver-less leadpipe. Then came the Specials with mp receivers. My Special #31xxx, is a great horn. I have finally been seeing some valve wear after all the years, but to be honest, it sat in the closet from 1950 to about 1969, when I started playing in the school band.
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jblo
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Joined: 28 Jan 2004
Posts: 408
Location: Central PA

PostPosted: Tue May 24, 2022 7:11 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I had a transitional model Special - post LA, but before the tri-color model. It was all brass with nickel trim. It was lightweight and responsive. I had a late-'50's Mendez at the same time and the Special was 95% the player the Mendez was. The Special was good enough that I sold the Mendez. I later sold the Special and regretted it. Got a newer tri-color Special hoping it would play as well as the older one and was disappointed. One of the few horns I regret selling.
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bgosvig
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Joined: 10 Dec 2021
Posts: 79
Location: Fairfield, Iowa

PostPosted: Sat May 28, 2022 5:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have both an Olds Recording and an Olds Special. The Special was, presumably, an intermediate level horn, and the Recording their top of the line (but, for the Super Recording, during its stint).

Yet, I'm struck by how many more similarities there are between the two than differences. Yes, the Recording has more bracing here and there, and the sound is clearly richer and warmer. All that extra money went somewhere.

But, the Special acquits itself admirably. It has a similar feel - it slots similarly and the valves have the same distinct pop. I've never found valves I like better than Olds (not including the Ambassador - a different beast).

I've also owned the Super and Mendez, and my Special is surprisingly close to those horns.

I keep the Special as my "Travel Trumpet", so I can stay in shape when I travel, and don't to risk my Recording or my Strad 37 on the road.

Yet, truth be told, if the Special was my only trumpet, I could live happily with it. As a '55 model, she's not the prettiest girl at the dance, but she can still swing with the best of them.
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A.N.A.Mendez
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Joined: 27 Jul 2005
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PostPosted: Sat May 28, 2022 5:59 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Having worked on all these models I found something interesting while doing some dent work on a Special. The conical graduation is different, it is more rapid in the Special. When you work on many different Olds models you get used to what size dent ball or mandrel goes into what area to work out dents or even flat spots. So, you look at the area to work on, you pick out the tool or dent ball, you put it in the right place and it is no where close to some of the other model Olds trumpet. Different graduation of the bell.
The Special is different.
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